A JiJJf'lsloX OF THE 1M)1AX SVKCJKS OF HOTAl.A. 703 



(1867)376. iu.lourn.As. Soc. lion<;. xl.L' (1871) oo et xlvi, i\1877) 8.') ; Clarke 

 ill Hook. f. FI. Brit. Intl. ii (1879) r,GH.~Kotala verttciUari.'<, Hiorn in Oliv. 

 Kl. trop. Afr. ii (1871) 4<i7, iion L. — Ammatitiia vie.neana, Baill. Hist. pi. 

 Madao;. atl. (l89o) t. '6<V.\. 



Creeping or erect, caespitose or tufted, submerged or with the tips 

 emerged, or on wot ground ; branclu's liliform. Loaves 3-o-iiate, or decus- 

 sate, the submerged ones linear, .'{-lo mm. long, scarcely ()"o-l nun. broad, 

 the emerged ones lanceolate or oblong, 3-4 mm. long, 1 mm. broad, all 

 obtuse, or retiise-bimucronulate. 



Flowers 4-o, rarely o-or (5-merous, axillary, solitary, sessile, bracteoles 

 whitish, as long as the calyx or shorter. Calyx 0-6-1 mm. long, in fr. 

 semiglobose ; nectariferous scales present or absent, when present 2-5, 

 minute or reaching half the length of the tube, sometimes bifid. Petals 0. 

 Stamens 1^-3. Ovary globose. 



Capsule globose, I'-o-valved. 



Distribution: Trop. Africa: Asia: India, China, Japan, Phihppines ; 

 Australia ; America : Mexico. (Guatemala, Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil. 



The habit of the plant makes this species a very chai-acteristic one. It 

 varies to a certain extent, as we shall see below, but, in our opinion, not in 

 such a way as to justify Koehne's division of the species into two subspecies 

 with two varieties. Quite apart from many practical ditticulties, which arise 

 from this method of splitting up species, there are, in our case at least, so 

 many intermediate forms passing into each other that it is impossible to 

 mention any particular plant which does not show a tendency towards 

 \ariation in some way or other. 



We have carefully examined all the specimens from the Indian region 

 which were at our disposal. We group them under two heads and point 

 out the variations observed in each. 



A : Capsule almost always 2-valved. 



1. Densely caespitose in masses up to o cm. in diameter. Leaves decus- 

 sate or ternate, reaching 3 mm., linear. Internodes generally much shorter 

 than the leaves. Calyx minute, much extended by the rigidly spreading 

 valves of the capsule, teeth 4, as long as the tube. Bracteoles shorter than 

 the calyx. 



Pegu in Lower Burma, Jan. (S. Kurz, No. 1967 !). 



2. Stems erect, stout, with many stiff ascending branches, the latter 

 densely leafy towards their tips and with very short internodes. Leaves 

 decussate or ternate, reaching 3 mm. linear. Calyx with 4 teeth, about as 

 long as the tube. 



Central Provinces: Mahonadi, Dec. ISo" (Herb. Calc. !). 



3. A minute plant with simple stem, ] cm. high, with a few pairs of leaves, 

 Maubhoom, banks of streams, Jan. 1868 (O. Ball!). 



4. Several ascending, Heshy stems radiating from the root about o cm. 

 long, slightly branched. Leaves reaching o mm., the lower shorter than the 

 internodes. Calyx-teeth 4, shorter than the wide tube. 



Chota Nagpur : Parasnath, alt. 2,000', Nov. 1874 (C. B. Clarke, No. 24856 !). 



B : Capsule almost always 3-valved. 



5. A slender plant, -5-6 cm. high. Internodes about as long as the 

 decussate (rarely ternate) leaves which reach 6 mm. Stems slightly fleshy, 

 tufted : branches many, slender. Bracteoles about as long as calyx-tube. 

 Calyx teeth 4-"), deltoid acute, almost .as long »s the tube. Capsule 

 puberulous. 



Shannoo, Oct. 1870 (Herb. Calc.!). 



6. Habit somewhat like that of form 2, but the stems are shorter, 

 probably prostrate. Calyx-teeth 4. 



